Blind-slat and operating-rod



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

F. W. WRIGHT.

BLIND SLAT AND OPERATING ROD. No. 85,889. Patented July 8, 1888.

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F. W. WRIGHT.

, BLIND SLAT AND OPERATING ROD. No. 385,689. Patented July 3, 1888.

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ihvirnn STATES aren't FRANK XV. \VRIGHT, OF BURLINGTON, VERMONT.

BLlND-SLAT AND OPERATlNG=ROD.

EPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 385,689, dated July 3,1888.

Application filed December 9, 18d.

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK W.Wn1orrr, a citizen of the United States,residing at Burlington, in the county of Ghittenden and State ofVermont, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in BlindSlatsand Operating-Rods, of which the following is a specification, referencebeing bad therein to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to an improvement in blindslats and operating-rods;and it consists in, first, the combination of a thin operatingrodloosely connected to the corresponding ends of each slat by means ofeyelets, which are passed through the rod and which catch over lugsformed upon the outer corners of the slats, with the slats provided withtenons upon their ends and the blind-frame; second, the combination of athin bent operating-rod, eyelets which are passed through openiugsin therod, and theblindslats provided with lugs to catch in the eyelets andtenons to catch in the frames, the rods being bent so as to causesufiicient friction upon the slats to hold them in any desired position;third, the combination of the blind-frame having a flange formed alongthe outer edge of one of its sides, the slats which are journaled in theframes by means of tenons formed on their ends, a thin operatingrodwhich sinks into the frame when the slats are closed behind the saidflange, and an operating-lever which is recessed in the frame,as will bemore fully described here inafter.

The objects of my invention are to so construct the movable parts thatwhen they are in a closed position they will not project beyond theedges of the frame and thus take up un-- necessary room in packing themfor transportation, to enable the blinds to present a more uniform andattractive appearance, and to allow the blind to be made much thinnerand lighter than it otherwise could be and therefore better adapted forsliding into a pocket or for other modern expensive interior finish.

Figures 1 and 2 are side elevations of a blind embodying my invention,taken from. opposite sides. Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken throughthe center of the slats. Fig. 4 isa section taken at right angles toFig. 8. Fig. 5 is a perspective of the end of one of the slats C and itsattachments.

Serial No.257,41l9. (N0 model.)

A represents the frame, which has the usual holes or recesses bored inopposite inside edges to receive the teuons B upon the slats 0. Theseholes 1) are bored as far as possible from the outside edge, so as tocause the slats when closed to sink inside of the frame on its outsideedge and be just flush with its inside edge, and thus not take up anyunnecessary room in packing the blinds for transportation or in anyother position. There the slats do project beyond the edges of theframes, separating devices must be placed between the blinds when packedfor transportation, which takes up nearly as much room as the blinds andthus adds greatly to the cost of transporta tion and the expense andtrouble in packing.

Formed upon the inside edge of that side of the frame upon which theoperating rod and lover are placed is a narrow flange, F, which servesboth to close the spaces between the side of the frame and the ends ofthe slats and to form a recess into which the thin operatingrod G sinkswhen the blinds are closed in either direction. This flange serves tohide the operating rod from sight upon the inner side of the blind andto give to the blind a much more finished and elegant appearance than ispossible where the operatingrod is applied either in the usual manner orwhere it is necessary to give the rod a greater thickness than a thinmetallic plate, as in the present instance.

The operating-rod G consists of a thin metallic plate, which is widenedjust opposite where itis connected to each slide, and through thesewidened portions I are passed the eyelet-s H, which catch upon the lugsJ, formed upon the outer corners of the slats. After the tenons havebeen formed upon the ends of the slats, the lugs are formed in anysuitable manner, and these lugs do not project beyond the ends of theslats proper.

The operating-rod, instead of being made perfectly straight in theusiial manner, is given a slight bend in between the ends of the slats,so as to have its bent portion catch between the head upon the eyelet Hand end of the slut, as shown in Fig. 5, and thus exert a frictionalcontact upon these two parts sufficiently great to prevent the rod fromcausing the slats O to turn upon their pivots from the weight of the rodalone, and thus cause the slats to partially close whenever they areleft free to move. When the operating-rod is made perfectly straight, itexerts but little or no frictional contact uponthe eyelets and the endsof the slats, and hence the weight of the rod alone is usuallysuflicient to prevent the slats from remaining open. By bending theoperating rod just at that point where it is made to come in contactwith the eyelets H and slats O enough friction is exerted upon these twoparts to prevent the weight of the rod from moving the slats.

The operating-lever L is journaled in a metallic frame, N, which isplaced in arecess, 0, made in the inner edge of that side ofthe framewhich is provided with the flange, and the outer end of this lever isprovided with a projection which passes through one of the eyelets inthe operating-rod, and thus makes direct connection with theslats-Theinner end of the lever is madejust long enough to operate the slatsreadily and easily, and has its end to sink into recesses P, made in theinner side of the frame, when the slats are closed in either direction.Where the end of this lever projects beyond the side of the frame, it isnot only in danger of being broken, but it takes up unnecessary roomwhen the blinds are packed for transportation. There the slats closedown within the frame, the operating-rod sinks into a recess in the sideof the frame, and the operating-lever also has its inner end to sinkinto recesses. The frames can be placed in direct contact with eachother in being packed for transportation, which could not otherwise bedone.

By the construction above described I avoid all objections to theordinary slat-turning rods, which are exterior to the slats, beingsecured to their front edges and projecting therefrom, where they areliable to accident, and which greatly increases the thickness of theblinds. This construction also enables a more uniform and attractiveappearance to be given to the blinds, and allows them to be made muchthinner and lighter than otherwise could be.

Having thus described my invention, I claim- 1. The combination of theframe A, having the vertical flange F formed along one of its insideedges, the slats which are pivoted in the frame and .pro'vided withpivots B and the lugs J, the operating-rod which is connected to each ofthe'slats by means of the lugs J, and which is placed between the endsof the slats and one side of the frame A, whereby when the blinds areclosed the operating-rod is moved into the frame in the rear of theflange F, so as to be hidden from view from the inner side of the blind,substantially as described.

2. The combination of the frame, the slats provided with tenons uponeach of their ends and with lugs upon one end, the operating-rod, andthe eyelets which catch over the lugs and connect the slats to the rods,substantially as set forth.

3. The-combination of the slats provided with both tenons and lugs, theeyelets which catch over the lugs, and the operating-rod which isslightly bent between the eyelets, so as to cause frictional contactagainst them, substantially as specified.

4-. The combination ofthe frame A, provided with a recess, 0, in one ofits edges, the metallic frame N, placed in the recess and provided withrecesses P at each end, the operating lever L, the rod G, the eyeletsandthe slats provided with both tenons and lugs, substantially asspecified.

In testimony whereof I do affix my signature in presence of twowitnesses.

FRANK V. XVRIGHT.

Witnesses:

CHARLES E. ALLEN, GEORGE D. WRIGHT.

